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Rebuilding a 2.8

Hello everyone, i'm a newb to posting but have been cruzing the site for a while now....

So here's my question? I'm already in the middle of tearing out my 2.8L out of my 87 Blazer cause it has a spun bearing... and i know what some people might say about wanting to keep the 2.8 when 3.4/4.3 or V8's are all good options... but for me I want to keep it as original as i can but still add little touches to moderize it... now I want to massage as much power out of it as i can so i need some good suggestions to help me while i have the heads off and before i get the bottom end out... I have already seen all my bolt on aftermarket options but i would like more info like Camshaft/Crankshaft opts, roller vs. standard rockers, and just about everything else that i can make good reliable power internally...

if anyone can tell i'm a newb to engine internals but i have taken engines out before... so any help is appriciated....

not trying to rain on your parade, but why exactly are you wanting it to be so origional? A numbers matching s10 blazer is still going to be worth 1500 bucks. Spend the same amount of money on a MUCH better powerplant.

and im not just being narrow minded, some ideas are good and some just dont make sense

well to each his own but i do have my reasons... i'm looking for reliable hp but not high hp.... there is a difference... i want good old V6 fuel economy and not fuel gulping V8 economy... but to tell you the truth... i do things differently... just how many people would take a 87 4x4 Blazer and keep the engine stock but with better items internally and lower it to 3in and use it as a daily driver.... That's what i'm doing and i would appreciate the help im looking for....

we ARE helping you. Your info has been skewed! Lower cubic inches doesnt always mean more MPG if they arent a very efficient engine/ underpowered. Power to weight ratio.

Im not being thick headed and telling you go fast or go home. Im telling you to spend probably the same amount of cash on a different motor that will be FASTER, JUST AS RELIABLE (actually probably more reliable) and get BETTER MILAGE (unless you drive it hard which it doesnt sound like you will)...

It really doesn't matter how many times you polish a turd...it's still a turd. The 2.8 is a terrible power plant with more issues than I care to mention. It really doesn't matter what you do to it, it will never get decent milage, or be able to get out of its own way..let alone pass sombody on an incline. Honestly, you'd be better off hunting down one of the 2.5l 4-cylinders if you really want reliablity and milage with the same utter lack of power the 2.8 posesses.

well to each his own but i do have my reasons... i'm looking for reliable hp but not high hp.... there is a difference... i want good old V6 fuel economy and not fuel gulping V8 economy... but to tell you the truth... i do things differently... just how many people would take a 87 4x4 Blazer and keep the engine stock but with better items internally and lower it to 3in and use it as a daily driver.... That's what i'm doing and i would appreciate the help im looking for....

There is also a reason chevy stoped using the 2.5 4 cyl and 2.8 v6. They suck now I understand if u just wanted to rebuild the a 2.8 that's already in it for the reason of coast and less work. But why try and fix it up. A tird is still a tird

With all that being said...I have a 2.8 with 268,000 miles that gets 20mpg. Guess what....I'm going LS with a 6spd because it's hard to argue with 4X the horsepower and better mileage, for just a little more than rebuilding the 2.8.

There is no reason to keep it original, our trucks are not unique or collectors items.

well thank you all for your concern but you are not going to change my mine... it's my truck and i will do with it as i please... NOW if you are all done, does anyone have any help for me with the question i ask or are we going to get more posts not helping me...

Just to let everyone know, i don't mind the fact that it is a "turd" or Slow.8 or whatever you wanna call it... it is what i have and what i want to use... and it's my decision so please respect it... thank you...

and so everyone knows the real reasons why i want to do this is not just for the reasons i previously posted but also due to the reason i have a 4x4 and i don't want to shoehorn a v8 into there and not be able to work on it... also i know that putting a 4.3 in it may or may not require wiring modifications which i don't want to do... now i am up for stroking out the displacement or making it a 3.4 with the right heads but that is why i made this post for suggestions or "Helpful" comments about the questions i asked...

and so everyone knows the real reasons why i want to do this is not just for the reasons i previously posted but also due to the reason i have a 4x4 and i don't want to shoehorn a v8 into there and not be able to work on it... also i know that putting a 4.3 in it may or may not require wiring modifications which i don't want to do... now i am up for stroking out the displacement or making it a 3.4 with the right heads but that is why i made this post for suggestions or "Helpful" comments about the questions i asked...

You have a good point, so in that case, i think you should put four-eleven positrack out back, Seven-fifty double pumper, Edelbrock intake, bored over thirty, eleven to one pop up pistons, Turbo jet, three ninety horse power. Were talking serious fucking muscle.

You have a good point, so in that case, i think you should put four-eleven positrack out back, Seven-fifty double pumper, Edelbrock intake, bored over thirty, eleven to one pop up pistons, Turbo jet, three ninety horse power. Were talking serious fucking muscle.